The Most Important Skill of the Future is Being ‘Indistractable’

credits Nir Eyal

Nir Eyal presented his book “Hooked” to us in a packed theater in 2015: Recording HERE. Read his article below, and join us on July 1 for a presentation on his new book “Indistractable”.

How the difference between traction and distraction could transform your productivity

I know how distractions work from the inside. For over a decade, I’ve helped tech companies build products to keep you clicking. In fact, I wrote the book about it in 2014: Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. I wrote Hooked for companies who wanted to help their customers build healthy habits, like going to the gym regularly and eating right. But in the process of researching the book, I found that some products drew some people in too much, including me.

I remember sitting with my daughter one afternoon doing activities from a book written to help daddies and daughters bond. One exercise consisted of asking each other the following question: “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” Between the moment I asked the question and when my daughter could answer, I felt a buzz in my pocket. A work email diverted my attention.

"Daddy?" she queried.

"Just a second," I grunted. "I need to respond to one thing." My eyes were glued to my phone, my fingers were tapping away at a response.

I wish I could tell you what she said in that moment, but I can’t. While she was telling me her dream superpower, I was busy staring at my phone. By the time I looked up, she had left the room.

I’d blown a perfect daddy-daughter moment because I was distracted. At that moment, I knew I needed to learn how to manage distraction. I wanted to get the best out of my tech gadgets, without letting the tech gadgets get the best of me.

If you asked me what superpower I’d want, I know the answer: I want the power to be indistractable. It’s the skill of the future.

We bemoan the fact that technology is becoming more pervasive and persuasive and complain that our devices are “hijacking” our brains. On top of all that, we just can’t seem to disconnect from work.

Hoping and waiting for tech companies to change their products or for your boss to finally learn to respect your time may take longer than you’re willing to wait. Although distractions aren’t necessarily your fault, they are your responsibility. It’s time to equip yourself to manage your distractions.

Let’s start with a definition of distraction.

According to the American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, distraction is “the process of interrupting attention” and “a stimulus or task that draws attention away from the task of primary interest.” In other words, distractions draw us away from what we want to do, whether it’s to accomplish a task at home or work, enjoy time with a loved one, or do something for ourselves.

If distraction becomes a habit, we may be unable to sustain the focus required for creativity in our professional and personal lives. Worse, if we’re constantly pulled away from friends and family by distractions, we miss out on cultivating the relationships we need for our psychological well-being.

Digital distraction might manifest in looking at notifications that pop up on your phone — even during conversations with family, friends, or colleagues, interrupting focused work to check email — chatting with coworkers who pop by your desk when you intended to do focused work, or scrolling through your social media feeds when you planned to read a book.

The opposite of “distraction” is “traction.” Traction is any action that moves us towards what we really want. Tractions are actions done with intent. Any action, such as working on a big project, getting enough sleep or physical exercise, eating healthy food, taking time to meditate or pray, or spending time with loved ones, are all forms of traction if they are done intentionally. Traction is doing what you say you will do. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.